Sound-recording device.



PATBNTED AER. 3, 1906.

R. R. ROBERTS. SOUND RECORDING DRVIOB.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1904.

` carriage on the talking-machine.

HENRY l). ROBERTS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SOUND=RECOF2DING DEVICE..

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 3, 1906.

Application filed NovembrZQ, 1904. Serial No. 234,762.

T0 a/ZZ whom'zlt may concern:

i. Be it known that I, HENRY P. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, New York city,

New York, (whose post-oilice address is No. 1 163 Midwood street, Brooklyn, New York,) V have invented a new and useful Improvef ment in Sound-Recording Devices, which improvement is fully set forth in the following serves asa stop to limit the play of the diaphragm-plate C.

specification.

My invention consists of a sound-recording such device or speaker,. as it is commonly f called, as will be automatically adjustable for recording upon blank cylinders of different thicknesses.

My invention consists in arranging the parts so that the diapl1ragni,\vith its recording-stylus, will be moved toward and from the blank cylinder in a position always parallel with itself (so that the stylus will always be presented at the saine angle) and in certain other details of construction and ar rangement that will be'pointed out later.

The invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment and certain modifications.

Figure 1 is a perspective of one form of my invention. Fig. Zis avertical section thereof, and Fig. 3 shows a modiiication.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, A is the main ortion or head, an inverted saucer in shape, iiaviiw a tubular stem a., that telescopes in a tube B, which lat-ter is attached in any convenient manner to the longitudinally-moving The upper end of thisA tube B is adapted to' carry theI speaking-tube for dictating (or otherwise making) thc record. Upon the tube c are two lugs c', which pass through longitudinal slots in the side of the tube B, and upon the tubel B are corresponding lugs b, between which and lugs a. are coiled springs inclosing small guide-rods fast on one. set of' lugs and sliding through the other. By this arrangement the action of the springs tends to force the main' portion A downward against the blank cylinder. Hinged to one side of the portion A is another plate C, which carries the diaphragm D, upon which latter is the recording-stylus E. The plate C has a small central oriiice communicating with the tube a like the wel by means of the usual thimble for insuring a practically air-tight passage-way from the space behind the diaphragm. The construcj tion and arrangement of this thimble and its adjacent parts form no part of my invention, the same being well known.

F is a bridge secured to the portion A and 'straddling' the hinged portion C. This bridge It also serves to limit the i extent to which the coil-springs depress the device; and its principal object is to provide i main portion by means of a tracking device or determining device carried, as at f, in juxtaposition to the recording-stylus E. This device f i's preferably a small sapphire ball,

-known reproducer.

G is another bridge carried by the hinged plate C and itself carrying (adjacent the stylus E) al tracking device g, similar to the device f. This bridge G is shown as bent or curved in order to leave a clear space for the recording-stylus E.

The function ot' each of the parts and the operation of my device as a whole will now be understood. When inserted in place upon a talkingnlachine in connection with a blank cylinder, the coil-springs will force the main portion and the recording part down upon the cylinder until the determining dej vice f rests upon the surface of the blank cylinder, lthe parts being so adjusted that the recording-stylus E will then be embedded the proper distance into the material of the blank cylinder. The tracking device'j` thus serves as a stop for and bears the weight and stress of the main portion and the coil-springs. In like manner the tracking device g serves as a stop for and bears the weight ol' the hinged portion (l, being so adjusted that. it permits thcfrecording-stylus E to be embedded the proper distance. 'l`hcre are three sets of movements thus taken into consideration in my device: First, the appreciable adjustment ol' the device to enable it to be used with a thick blank cylinder and again with a thin blank'cylinder, the difference in thickness being sometimes uite great. This adjustment is accomplis red by the action of the and in general takes place only once with each cylinder. Second, compensation fort-he accidental or undesirable eccentricities ol' the blank cylinder itself, which in most instances cannot bie-observed by the eye, but which (if not otherwise compensated for) would intertere with the proper recording and the subsequent reproduction oi sounds. These eccentricities are compensated for bv the swing of the plate C 'upon its hinge. The third set of movements is that due to the normal action ot the sound-waves, which taires place through the elasticity of the diaphragm. n

have found by actual tests that not only is the principal feature of my inventionnamelv, the automatic adjustment for cylinders or different thiclrnesses--oi1 great advantage, but owing to the'sensitiveness and delicacy of my device the records made by it are actually louder and clearer than those made by other devices.

The coiled springs (shown in Figs. i and 2)' may be dispensed with and gravity relied on to take their place, or some other form and arrangement of s rings (or their equivalent) may be employer Furthermore, the bridge G and its tracking device g may be dispensed with; but in such case the diaphragm-plate (l and its parts will be made rather lighter than before.

ln the modification shown in Fig. 3 the diaphragm-plate C is not hinged to thertelescoping portion. il', but is tree to move bodily to and from the latter parallel with itself, being guided by three or more guide-rods c', fa-st on plate C and 'passing through portion A. Delicate springs may be interposed between the portion A' and the hands of the rods c;

but preferably such springs will be dispensed with. may be dispensed with. struction set forth by Fig. 3 the two telescopln this modification also the bridge G ing portions il. and B may be made in one, I

and the bodily movement oi the diaphragmplate C is relied on for both the coarser ad justment for ditlerent cylinders and the more delicate continuous adjustment for the ec- Il)icitiee of each cylinder'.

i nave described my invention with some particularity ci detail, but merely for the saire ci clearness, since l do not limit myselt| to the precise constructions and arrangements herein set forth. Modii'ications may be made therein and parts of my invention 'used to the exclusion of other parte without departing from the spirit ci my invention.

iiaving thus described my invention, l

claiml. ln a sound-recording device, the combination of afixed portion, a portion telescoping therein, a diaphra m pivoted to said.

telescoping portion enf carrying a stylus,

a trackingdevice carried by said telescoping portion, a secondK tracking device carried by said diaphragm, and automatic means for forcing said telescopins portion downward.

Again, in the con-` 2. In a sound-recording device, the combination with a bridge to carry the thrust of the recorder, oi a diaphragm having bodily movement independent of said bridge.

3. ln a sound-recording device, the combination of a plate, a diaphragm carryin a stylus and held by said plate, two verticallytelescoping members constituting' a vertical sound-conveying passage, said plate being pivoted upon the relatively movable member aforesaid.

4. ln'a' sound-recording device, the combinaticn oi a late, a dia hragm carrying a st lus and heid by said pate, two vertically te escoping members constituting 'a vertical sound-conveying passage, said plate being pivcted upon the relatively movable niember aforesaid, .and automaticall -operating mechanism for Jforcing said mova le member downward.

5. ln a sound-recording device, the combination of a plate, a diaphragm carryin a stylus and held bv said plate, two verticallytelescoping mem ers constituting a vertical sound-conveying passage, said plate being A .ivoted upon the relatively movable membei aforesaid', and a tracking device also cari ied by said movable member.

6. ln a sound-recording device, the combination ci a plate, a diaphragm carrying a stylus and held by said plate, two verticallytelescoping members constituting a vertical sound-conveying passage, said plate being pivoted upon the relatively movable member-aforesaid, a tracking device also carried by said movable member, and automaticn4 ilyoperating means for iorcingsaid movable member downward.

7. .ln a sound-recording device, the combination of a vertically-movable diaphragmsupport, a plate hinged to said support and 'carrying a diaphragm with its stylus, and automatically-operating means for moving said support and diaphragm downward for engagement with blank cylinders of dillerent thicknesses.'

8. ln a sound-recording device, the combination of a verticali -inovable plate-sup Bort, a diaphragm hinged to said support an carrying a diaphragm with its stylus, and automatically-operating means for moving said support and vdiaphragm downward for `engagement with blank cylinders of different thicknesses.

9. ln a sound-recOrding device, the combination ci a relatively stationary vertical tube adapted ior' engagement upon a movable cariiage of a talking-machine, a second tube telescoping therein. and terminating atv its lower end in a ilaring portion, a similarly-n shaped platc having a central opening hinged thereto and nesting within said iiare, a dia- IOO IIO

phragm with its stylus carried by said hinged late, and automatically-,operating means for ormgusaid diaihragm downward.

10. a soun recording device, the combi- 5 nation of a relatively stationary vertical tube and a tube telescoping vertically therein to vform a continuous sound-conveying passage, a plate carrying a diaphra m and stylus and hinged to said movable tu e, and spring-actuated means for automatically forcing said 1o lng witnesses.

HENRY l. ROBERTS. Witnesses:

C. A. L. MAssIE,` R. L. SCOTT. 

